Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Changchun Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Changchun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $748 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,109 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,469 in Changchun.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 206% more expensive than in Changchun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Changchun is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$2.77 ¥18.71

484.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$20.26 ¥137

212.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$4.92 ¥33.27

109.76%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.57 ¥17.36

10.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €2.01

$0.48 ¥3.27

377.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.29 ¥1.97

444.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$0.83 ¥5.58

309.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.04 ¥13.77

97.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.89 ¥12.77

-42.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.25 ¥8.42

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.28 ¥8.67

37.50%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.10 ¥7.45

188.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$12.67 ¥85.6

4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.42 ¥23.08

133.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$8.41 ¥56.8

84.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.47 ¥9.90

61.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.03 ¥6.95

66.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.86 ¥5.81

133.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.30 ¥8.81

86.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.73 ¥4.93

141.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.66 ¥4.46

207.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.44 ¥2.94

336.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.56 ¥3.76

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.21 ¥21.68

104.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$11.69 ¥79.0

-52.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.67 ¥4.50

98.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$0.94 ¥6.36

215.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.27 ¥1.81

744.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$16.96 ¥115

169.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.08 ¥7.30

291.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.26 ¥1.76

211.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$3.43 ¥23.15

437.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.12 ¥7.55

85.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.7K €30.4K

$18.2K ¥122.8K

90.81%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.2K €34.3K

$18.7K ¥126.0K

109.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 €130

$42.61 ¥288

247.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.46 €17.92

$14.76 ¥99.7

38.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$14.14 ¥95.6

179.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$42.40 ¥287

13.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$3.75 ¥25.35

396.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$5.00 ¥33.81

84.40%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$616 €540

$284 ¥1,919

116.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$8,474 ¥57.3K

94.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$27.58 ¥186

272.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$30.90 ¥209

35.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$74.1 ¥501

27.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$77.5 ¥524

57.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$276 ¥1,864

491.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$233 ¥1,577

427.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$596 ¥4,024

420.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$358 ¥2,420

467.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$1,745 ¥11.8K

348.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$993 ¥6,709

342.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$942 ¥6,366

70.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

5.27

-27.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Changchun: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $276 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in Changchun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $185 per month, with Changchun cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 206% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $276 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Changchun runs roughly 170% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $284 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $748 in Changchun versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changchun is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Changchun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 206% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.